Private MD News

Smoking may raise prostate cancer risk

Category: Prostate

Smoking may lead to rising PSA test scores in men who have had their prostate removed due to cancer, indicating that the tumor may have returned, according to a new study presented at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association.

Researchers from Stanford University compared the medical records of 321 smokers who underwent prostate removal surgery to data collected from 309 non-smokers who had the same procedure, according to HealthDay News. The results showed that smokers were at a greater risk of experiencing a recurrence of cancer.

The researchers said that their findings could help doctors decide how aggressive to be when treating men for prostate cancer. Additionally, the result may provide a more powerful message.

"The study also presents a strong message to men: quitting smoking now could impact your ability to survive prostate cancer later," Joseph C. Presti, who led the investigation, told the news source.

Smoking is already known as the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings could help cement this reputation.